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I'm no insurance expert, but if you're hurt on the job doesn't the EMPLOYER typically pay your medical costs? Even if you had insurance?
Why should a soldier wounded on the job be treated any differently? I realize that wounded vets' medical bills aren't high on Obomo's list of priorities, but this seemed pretty outrageous to me.

One of the very bad things done by the Bush administration was to underfund the cost of veteran health and disability care and to create a situation where the government went to extremes to avoid liability for these costs. Obama criticized this in his campaign, as did McCain, and both promised to do better. I understand how a bureaucratic budgeteer might think that charging insurance companies for treatment could reduce the government's cost. However, this will inevitably raise insurance premiums and places the burden where it doesn't belong. Among other things, it will create an incentive for smaller employers to avoid hiring veterans who might have significant medical needs. Care should be paid by the taxpayers. We owe it to the men and women that we placed in harm's way.

I served in the US Military, 68 and 69. In the early 70's I applied for and recieved Veterens benefits. Then for the next 30 years, I relied on my private, employer sponsored insurance, for my health care. Recently, with retirement approaching, and the threat of corporate layoffs, I re-applied for my GI benefits. I was denied, even though my insurance would have paid. I was told that since I did not have a service related condition, and I made to much income to qualify, even though my insurance would be billed, tough luck. You have to live on the street for the VA to even look at you,... maybe.
Brothers ... beware, the recruiters will lie to you. And when you need them, the VA and Congress, both R and D, will abandon you, for political and fiscal expediancy.

JD

One cannot reason someone out of something they were not reasoned into. - Jonathan Swift

The VA has been a red-headed step-child ... always. And for that matter, so has active-duty healthcare. The recent BRAC had as a prime objective the closing of as many healthcare facilities as it could...even if the closures didn't make a bit of sense. The military medics were told to sit down and color but those of us in the chairs at home could see the idiocy that was going on.

I really don't care one way or the other about the issue at hand. The troops are still going to be seen in VA hospitals either way. The only thing I would say is that if the plan goes through, the VA should retain the funds and not have its other appropriations cut. That's the risk that the folks should be upset about.....that the VA will start collecting and their budget cut in a zero-sum game.